Machine for making cans or the like.



PATENTED JULY 4, 1905..

W. J. KENNY. MACHINE FOR MAKING GANfl OR THE LIKE.

APPLIUATION FILED 11120.17. 1902. nmazawnn DEG. 15, 1904.

a BEETS-SHEET 1.

ull

M WM No. 799,879. PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

W. $.KENNY.

MACHINE FOR MAKING GAIN OR THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED 111:0. 17. 1902. RENEWED macv 15, 19mm.

3 SHEETfS ESHEE-T 2.

No. 798.879. PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

- W J. KENNY. MACHINE FOR MAKING GANS OR THE LIKE.

APPLIUATION FILED DEOJV, 1902. RENEWED D130. 15, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ALA Ti 'ltlo. 793,879.

NlTE Siwrns Patented Zlnly 4t, 190".

W .ILLIAM J. KENNY, Ol MOR'ITONPARK, lLLlNOIS, ASSU-rNOR, BY DlRlEO'l AND MESNE 1. SSlG-NMENTS, TO VVlLLll-lilil S. OUhlhillNG, OF CHICAGO,

.lLLlNOliru, Allll) AMERICAN KEY (JAN COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY,

NEW J ERE'BEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WIAUHIINE FUR MAKING WANQ tJFl Wall-I lhlKllE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,879, dated July 4, 1905.

Application filed December 17, 1902. Renewed December 15, 190A. Serial No. 237,018.

To (1 7 7 whom it new con/corn.-

Be it known that l, Vi' ILLIAM J. Kenny, of lVlortonpark, in the county of Cook and State 01 ,lllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Lans or the Like; and i do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereoi, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved machine employed in the manufacture of cans and like sheet-metal bodies for fastening together two parts of such shcet-n'ietal bod y----- as, for instance, for Fastening the heads or ends to the body-blanks.

The machine herein shown has been designed more especially for acting upon sheetmctal can bodies and headsa'l tcr the same have passed through a donhie-seaming machine for interlockingthc flanges on the head and body; but the machine may be employed for crimping the l'iead-i'langes on the body-blanks in the manufacture of cans, wherein the flanged head is placed on the body by an ordinary headingmachine or by hand in the same manner.

The object ol this invention to provide a machine for producing tightjoints between can bodies and heads or between other joined parts of sheet-metal bodies without necessarily employing solder; and the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more iiarticnlarly pointed out in the appended claims.

As shown in the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the elements of a press, illustrating in vertical section my improved presing or squeezing device. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thedie and the shoe on which it is supported. Fig. 3 illustrates the pressing or squeezing devices removed from the press. Fig. A is a plan view of the presser or squeezing ring when the latter is closed. Fig. 5 is a similar view of said ring when it is expanded. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are fragmentary views of the die, contracting-ring, and a can head and body, showing three stages oi. the operation of the pressing or squeezing devices.

As shown in said drawings, A designates a portion of a press having the usual reciprocating head A.

B designates a die support or shoe which is attached to the press A and upon which is sus- 5 5 tained a die-block U, having a central tapered opening. Upon said block is supported. an expansible and coi'itractible die 1), having a tapered opening correspmuling to the opening in the die-block.

B designates a plunger which extends upwardly through the frame of the press and through the shoe B and is provided at its upper end with a head it, which is adapted to receive and support a can-body blank, togcther with an end which has been connected. thereto by an end-seaming operation. Said plunger-head is preferably made of the shape and dimensions of the can-body to be operated upon, and the openings in the die-block and dieare COl'l'CSDOllLllllgly fashioned. As herein shown, said parts are shaped to operate on oblong cans having rounded corners.

The die D is composed of a plurality of segments (Z, whose inner margins when the segments are pressed together conform to the exterior shape and dimensions of the canbody on which it is desired. to operate. Said segments are normally separated through the action of suitably-applied springs. As here- 0 in shown, the segments are provided at adjoining ends or margins with opposing reor sockets, which receive spiral expansively-acting springs J, said springs being placed under tension and acting to spread 5 the segments of the die apart when said segments are unconfined. Said segments are each provided with one or more slots (1, which receive countersunk screws (1, which latter have screw-threaded engagement with aper- 9 tures in the subjacent die-block U, whereby said rings are confined on saidplate. Said described.

slots are elongated so as to enable the segments to spread radially apart under the expansive action of the springs (Z, and the screws guide said segments radially inwardly when said segments are pressed together. Said die-segments are moved inwardly to close the die through the medium of a tapered contracting-ring E, which is attached to the re ciprocating head A by means of headed screws a, which extend loosely through openings in said head and have screw-threaded engagement with the ring, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in any suitable manner. Backingsprings E are interposed between said head and ring, being located in registering sockets in the adjacent faces of said parts. Said springs hold the contracting-ring extended and permit it to yield backwardly toward the plunger-head A when said ring is pressed against the die in a manner hereinafter to be Said die-segments are provided on their upper faces with raised flanges (i and said flanges are slightly beveled on their outer upper edges (Z The flanges are herein shown as constitutingsegments of a circle, and the contracting-ring E is made circular and provided on its inner lower margin with a beveled or tapered surface 0. The internal diameter of the ring E is slightly less than the external diameter of the flanges (Z of said die when the die is expanded, and when the plunger is depressed the tapered surface a of the contracting-ring E engages the beveled outer surfaces of the die-flanges, so as to press the die-segments inwardly until they are brought together at their margins, as indicated in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 illustrates the expanded positions of the segments. The opening of said segmental die is largest at its upper side, and for this purpose the inner margins of the die-segments are provided at the upper side of the effective opening with outwardly and upwardly curved surfaces d, which merge at their lower sides into flatter v curved surfaces (Z which constitute the boundary of the shortest diameter of the dieopening. Beneath said flatter curved surfaces the margins of the segments are downwardly and outwardly tapered to correspond with the taper of the central opening of the die-block. Above the rounded surfaces (Z the segments are provided with a hollowed or concave recess d. The features of the die last mentioned are more clearly shown in Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive.

The reciprocating head A is provided with a centrally-located projection A made of the same shape as the opening in the die and which projects below the head. Said projection is adapted to lit at its lower part in the recess of the can head or end surrounded by the part of the marginal flange-seam which extends above the upper face of the head. The advance or lower end of said central projection the same, whereby is formed on the lower end of said projection a reduced part which is made of such size that it will pass downwardly into the die-opening when the die is contracted and is adapted to coact with the rounded surfaces (Z and (Z thereof to press or squeeze the seam therebetween, as will hereinafter more fully appear. The vertical depth of said rabbet a is made of substantially the same depth as that of the recess in the can head or end which is surrounded by the seamed flanges, so that when the bottom of the projection engages the upper face of the can-head the shoulder on the extension formed by said rabbet engages the upper margin of the seamed flanges.

The plunger B and the head A are so conneeted with the operative mechanism of the press that in the first operation of the ma chine after a connected body blank and head have been placed on the head B of the plunger said head is raised and contact of the seamed or folded flanges of the body blank and head with the tapered surface of the dieblock and die acts to center the can-body to permit the blank to properly enter the dieopening. This movement of the plunger B is continued until the seamed flanges of the blank and head have passed somewhat above the level of the lowest parts of the rounded surfaces (Z of the segments, as shown in Fig. 6. In such rise of the body-blank the seam has been raised such distance that no considerable pressure is exerted against the seam when the die segments are subsequently moved inwardly by the means heretofore described. The backing-springs E are made of such strength as to hold the contracting-ring E projected while the die segments are being moved inwardly against the can-bodyin the manner described, so that the only work required to move said die-segments inwardly is that necessary for shifting the die-segments on the block against the action of the springs (Z. Said ring is moved down over the flanges of the segments for the purpose, first, of closing the egments against the can-body blank below the seam, and, second, for holding the segments closed in the subsequent squeezing of the seam effected by the coaction of the extension A and die, as will hereinafter more fully appear, so that no great power is required or friction generated between the contracting-ring and die-segments to move the latter inwardly. In the continued descent of the head after the die-segments are forced against the body-blank and the contractingring is brought into contact with the die-segments radially outside of the flanges (F there of the springs E yield, and thereafter the projection A of the head moves downwardly, with its reduced lower end forced into the recess of the head and until the bottom of said extension strikes the upper face of said head,

is provided with a IQlJlJBlJ/j, which surrounds l and the shoulder formed by the rabbet 0.

teases strikes the upper margin of the seam sur rounding the head. 'lhereafter as the head continues to descend the can head and body are forced downwardly through the dieopening. During this stage of the operation the seam is tightly pressed or squeezed between the rabbeted part of the extension A, and the rounded surfaces and (Z of said diesegments and said seam is forced downwardly into the gradually-reducing opening of the die until the flanges of the seam have been forced so tightly against each other and the side wall of the body-blank as to prod uee the tight joint desired, the squeezing action increasing as the parts descend through the dieo'pening.

While the can-body is being forced down through the die and the seam pressed or squeezed in the manner described, the plunger U and head U recedes from the head A and in unison therewith. The connection between the head A and plunger whereby they partake of the movements described is not shown; but it is. to be understood that the press-actuating mechanism may be of any desired construction which will effect the proper movement of said parts. .lluring the time the seam is being pressed in the manner described it will be noticed that the seam is sui iported from inward l'lexure by engagement of the extension of the head with the inner surface of the seam and that the seam is pressed into wedging and squeezing engagement between the rounded surfaces (J and (Z of the segments and said extension and is forced downwardly by ei'igagement with the shoulder of said extension with the margin of the seam. ilhe l'l'lOCllZLnlSln for reciprocating the head is so timed that the head will be stopped when the seam has been properly squeezed or pressed, and in any event the descending movement of the seam into the die will be arrested before said seam has fully passed the rounded portions (Z and (i of the die-segments. The straight parts (i of the die-segments are provided principally to compensate for a certain amount of wear upon the curved or inclined working faces (Z i of the die-segments and at the same time retain the proper degree of flare thereto, such as will afford the proper wedge action between the same and the head upon the seam. When such wear takes place, the active or working faces of the die-segments are shifted downwardly, and the operative parts of the machine are so adjusted that as such wear takes place the head A. is adapted to move in each throw a distance to correspond with the changed positions of the working faces of the die-segments. Such wear may take place without impairing the action of the die until the rounded or flaring parts of the diesegments reach to the line originally representing the lower part of the straight surfaces. The positions of the parts when the seam is fully pressed is shown in Fig. 8.

it will be observed that the great lateral stress brought upon the parts is all taken when the die and cOntracting-ring are stationary, so that there is no fatal frictional wear between the said parts. vVhen the head begins to move upwardly in the retraction thereof, the first movement of the head acts to withdraw the central projection of the head from the die, and this is ell'ected before the contracting ring begins to move upwardly, so that when said ring is drawn away from the flanges of the die-segments no radial pressure is exerted on said segl'nents, and therefore there is little or no frictional wear between the parts. The ring E is lifted in the upward movement of the head when the heads of the screws, which fasten said ring to the head, engage the bottoms of the sockets therein and from which said heads are raised when the ring and head are forced toward each other. It is desirable that the ring he not backed against the head when the parts are in position to force the can-seam into the die-opening; but a space is left between said parts at this time when the machine is setup, as shown in Fig. 8, in order to permit the central projection to be advanced farther relatively to the ring after subsequent wear of the die-segments. rti'iy suitable stripping mechanisi'n (not shown) may be employed for strippii'ig the can from the head as it begins to rise.

'lhe can heads and bodies previously seamed together at their margins may be fed to the machine in any suitable manner. As herein shown, they are supported on parallel anglebars B, bolted to the shoe B, and are guided between rods or bars B, located above said bars. illhe bolts which fix the angle-bars to the shoe engage slots therein which permit said bars to be raised and lowered for cans of varying lengths. In this manner the flanges of the crimp are pressed so closely together and against the side walls of the can-bod y blank as to produce a tight joint between the several flanges of the crimp and the walls of the bod yblank. Il am thereby enabled to produce a joint between the body and head of the can or in other like locations which will be practically liquid-proof without the use of solder or other water 'iroof material.

lit is obvious that changes may be made in the structural details shown without departing from the spirit of my invention, and 1. do not wish to be limited to such details, except as hereinafter made the subject of specific claims. For instance, while the forcing of the seam into the die to press or squeeze the same is shown as etl'ected by the head A, it is obvious that the same general results may be secured if the die be forced toward the head.

It will be understood that the terms indicating the positions of the several parts are merely used for convenience of referring to said parts as the machine is illustrated and are not designed to be regarded as limiting or essential terms. Such terms, therefore, as 6 S J,

above, below, &c.,are employed relative to the construction illustrated, and the relation, of course, of the parts will vary with respect to each other when the position of the parts of the machine are changed from that herein shown.

I claim as my invention 1. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a segmental die having an opening to receive a sheet-metal body and connected head, means for moving the die-segments against said body below the head flange or flanges and for holding the segments from spreading, and means for forcing the flange or flanges into contact with the working faces on the inner margins of the segments by relative longitudinal movement of the can and die and acting during said movement to squeeze or press said flange or flanges of the sheet-metal body.

2. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a segmental die having an opening to receive a sheet-metal body and its connected head, means for moving the die-segments against said body below the head flange or flanges and for holding the segments from spreading, a reciprocating part adapted to enter the recess of the head surrounded by the flange or seam and means acting to force the flange or seam into contact with the working faces of the die-segments to squeeze the same between the said faces and projection.

3. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a segmental die having an opening to receive a sh eet-metal body and connected head, shoulders on the upper faces of the die-segments, a contracting ring acting on said shoulders for closing said die-segments upon the can-body below the flange or seams thereof, and means for forcing the flange or seam into contact with the working faces of the inner margins of said segments.

4. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a segmental die having an opening to receive a sheet-metal body and connected head, shoulders on the upper faces of the die-segments, a solid, reciprocating, contracting ring adapted to be forced down over said shoulders to move the segments against the canbody, said shoulders and ring being provided with coacting tapered parts which effect the closing of the die-segments by movement of one of said parts toward the other, and means for forcing the flange or seam of the head and body into contact with the working faces of the die-segments at the inner margins thereof.

5. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a segmental die having an opening to receive a sheet-metal body and a connected head, a head, a ring carried by said head adapted to engage shoulders on the die-segments by movement of one of said parts toward the other to move the segments against the sheet-metal body below the flange or seam thereof, a central projection on said head adapted to enter the head-recess surrounded by said flange or seam and means for bringing said flange or seam into squeezing engagement with the die.

6. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a segmental die having an opening to receive a sheet-metal body and a connected head, a head, a ring carried by said head adapted to engage shoulders on the die-segments by movement of one of said parts toward the other to move the segments against the sheet-metal body below the flange or seam thereof, a central projection on said plunger adapted to enter the can-head recess to support said flange or seam, said ring having a limited backward movement with respect to said projection, whereby it acts on the segments first to close the segments against the sheet-metal body below the. flange or seam, and thereafter yields backwardly to permit the projection to force the seam or flange through the die and flatten the same between said projection and die.

7. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a segmental die having an opening to receive a sheet-metal body and a connected head, a head, a ring carried by said head adapted to engage shoulders on the die-segments to move the segments against the can-body below the seam or flange thereof, a central projection on said plunger adapted to enter the can-head recess and support the seam or flange, said ring having a limited backward movement with respect to said projection, whereby it acts on the segments first to close the segments against the sheet-metal body below the flange or seam and thereafter yields backwardly to permit the projection to force the flange or seam into contact with the working face of the die, and springs for normally holding the die-segments separated.

8. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a segmental die having an opening to receive a sheet-metal body, the parts of which die are movable toward and from each other, the working faces of said segments around said opening being curved outwardly at the advance side of the opening, a head having a part adapted to enter the die-opening and provided at its advance end with a reduced portion and in rear of said reduced portion with a shoulder, and means acting on said die-segments to close them around the sheet-metal body within said die-opening and hold them closed, said head and die having relative longitudinal movement whereby the seam is forced with great stress into the smaller part of the die-opening and squeezed against the restraint of said closing and holding means between said die and reduced part of the head.

9. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a segmental die provided with an opening the working faces of said die-segments being curved outwardly at the advance side of the opening, a head having a part adapted to enter the die and provided on its advance end with a rabbet forming a reduction, and a ring carried by said head adapted to engage shoulders on the segments to close the same, said ring having a limited yielding movement with respect to said head.

10. A machine for squeezing an interlocle ing seam joining the two parts of a sheet-metal body or receptacle comprising a die provided. with an opening adapted to receive said body or receptacle, the working face of which die is provided at its advance side with the outwardly-curved part d and with the flatter curved part d, which latter constitutes the smallest diameter of the die-opening, and a head adapted to enter said opening with its advance end fitting in and filling the space surrounded by said seam, said head and die having relative longitudinal movement, and the advance end of the head being made of such length and diameter relatively to the dieopening that the seam is squeezed under great stress between the reduced part oi said head and die during a continuous relative longitudinal movement oi said parts.

11. llin a machine for squeezing the interlocking seam joining the two parts 01? a sheetmetal body or receptacle, a head. adapted. to

enter and lill the space surrounded by the seam, a die l'iaving an opening to receive said body or receptacle, said die and head having relative movement in a manner to press the seam between the same, and means acting after said head has en terod the space surrounded by the seam, and during a continuous relative movu ment of the parts to squeeze under great stress, the seam between said head and die.

12. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a segmental die having an opening to receive a sheet-metal body, the working faces of said die-segments being flared outwardly at the advance side of the opening, a head adapted to enter the die-opening and provided in rear of its advance end with a shoulder which faces said opening, and a ring for closing said segments upon the work having a limited backward movement with respect to said head, whereby, after said ring has closed said segments, the head may be advanced relatively thereto.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I ai'lix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 10th day of December, A. D, 1902.

WlLLliAll l J. KENNY.

V /itnesses: 7V

\{VILLTMI L. ll'liALL, Gnn'rnunn Haven, 

